Le Beau Site Royeres

... our time here, I couldn’t help but feel grateful that I was born in the time, and the country, that I was. It made me pensive and gave me cause to appreciate what I have had in the past, and what I have now. I have never had to experience such terrible actions, and I hope that I never do. This memorial made me realize that I have been very lucky in my lifetime to have the experiences that I ...

... with a handbag. Made more sketchy by the same fellow (obviously a scholar) re-entering the building and leaving with another hand bag and a guitar. I wander where he was going with his two handbags and guitar. . .

We cycled on to find a camping spot. After 5 days of intense cycling in heavy heat with no shower we were forced to sleep in amongst a thick cloud of smell which could quite literally "gag a maggot".

Distance covered: 35 miles cycle and 15 car

So we woke up early for the first time and set off in the blazing sun with high spirits. We were absolutely destroying the miles and there was even talk of getting a record (70+ in a day!!). But then an absoulte disaster occurred. About 15 miles away from a city my rear wheel disintegrated. It would be impossible to walk it. Maybe a hitch from a ...

... run, then tinder piled on them and lit to finish them off slowly. It's really horrific stuff, and the fact that they've preserved the town as it was for people to see and remember is amazing. You can read more online if you want, just google Oradour massacre or tragedy or something and you should get some sites. One thing that happened... We went through the museum before seeing the town, which was a very thorough well-done museum. About ...

... least we had this trusty little Lonely Planet guide, which recommended a few places around Dournazac and Chateau Montbrun.... Hmmm, they all seemed to be closed... Finally, 'La Taverne'- a place to eat (even though its ~10pm) and sleep (what! no rooms available!). Well, of course it did have a happy ending, but I start with the photos first....

... on this blog... We had a laugh and the public...accessorily my family had an even bigger laugh. We also made a little band just for the occasion, we drastically lacked time to practise, but we still managed to pull out a song or two. My brother at the guitar, his girlfriend at the base, my cousin on the guitar and vocals and myself on the drums. To the risk of appearing ridiculous again, I attached here a little sample of our "concert". Apart from that ...

... a bomb inside the church and opened fire with machine guns. Only one woman and four men escaped and managed to survive. The number of children killed was disproportionately high because the children from neighbouring villages attended school at Oradour. After the massacre, the Nazi soldiers raided the town of any valuables and set it ablaze. The ruins were discovered several days later, the bodies were recovered and buried, but the ...

... the church showing the post-WWI damange. The next day, on our way to the Dordogne region, we stopped at Oradour-sur-Glane. Oradour-sur-Glane is known as the Martyr Village. On June 10, 1944,the village was sealed off, looted and burned by Nazi troops. Women and children were locked in a church which was then set on fire while the men were disabled and burned in barns throughout the village. In all, 642 people ...

... which seems always packed with tourists in canoes by about 12pm every day. Unlike Australia, the vegetation longs to grow here... where ever it has been allowed, it has draped it's self over bridge, stair, and even whole houses. One thing that has disappointed me about France though, is the lack of wildlife. But i guess that is made up for through the mountains of historical evidence, simply everywhere you turn. Miss you all. -Lindsey